Â鶹APP

Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, Royal Society of Victoria, Australia. By Encyclopaedia of Australian.

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Baron Ferdinand von Mueller

Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller,  KCMG  (German; ²Ñü±ô±ô±ð°ù; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian, Physician, Geographer, and most notably, a botanist.

He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Victoria (Australia) by Governor  Charles La Trobe in 1853, and later director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.

He also founded the  National Herbarium of Victoria. Mueller named many Australian plants.

Let’s look at some of the outstanding facts about him;

1. Baron Studied at the University of Kiel

Mueller was born at Rostock, in the  Gran Duchy of Mecklenburg Schwerin. After the early death of his parents, Frederick and Louisa, his grandparents gave him a good education in Tonning,  Schlwesig.

Apprenticed to a chemist at the age of 15, he passed his pharmaceutical examinations and studied botany under Professor  Ernst Ferdinard Nolte (1791–1875) at  Kiel University.

In 1847, he received his degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Kiel for a thesis on the plants of the southern regions of Schleswig.

2. He fished his first plants while on the ship to analyze them

Mueller’s sister Bertha had been advised to seek a warmer climate for her health, and the great botanist  Ludwig Preiss, who had recently returned from Perth, recommended Australia, so in 1847, Mueller and his two surviving sisters sailed from  Bremen. While still on the ship, he reportedly fished his first plants out of the water to analyze them.

3. Baron 20 acres of Land in Bugle Ranges

Bugle Ranges SA 5251, Australia. Picture By Matthew Summerton,

He arrived at  Adelaide on 18 December 1847 and found employment as a chemist with  Moritz J. Heuzenroeder, in  Rundle street.

He was an inveterate explorer, walking alone to  Mount Arden and  Mount Brown during his first year.

Shortly afterward, he obtained 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land not far from Adelaide in the  Bugle Ranges and had a cottage built there.

He moved there with his sister Clara. He was intending to start a farm, but after a few months, he returned to his former employment.

4. He was appointed as the Government botanist

Governor Charles La Trobe appointed Mueller as the government Botanist.

Mueller was appointed government botanist for Victoria by Governor  Charles La Trobe in 1853, a post that was newly created for him.

He examined its flora, especially the Alpine vegetation of Australia, which was previously unknown.

He explored the  Buffalo Ranges, then went to the upper reaches of the Goulburn River and across  Gippsland to the coast.

The neighborhoods of  Port Albert and  Wilsons Promontory were explored, and the journey of some 1,500 miles (2,400 km) was completed along the coast to Melbourne.

5. Ferdinard established the National Herbarium of Victoria

Facade of the National Herbarium of Victoria. Picture By Ypna.

In the same year 1853, he established the  National Herbarium of Victoria, which can still be visited today.

It has many plants from Australia and abroad, many of which were collected by Mueller.

Also, his large private library was transferred to the government of Victoria in 1865 and is incorporated into the library of the herbarium in Melbourne.

6. Ferdinard discovered 800 species in Australia and published about them

Sir Augustus Charles Gregory. Picture by Poul C. Poulsen

Mueller was then nominated as the botanist to accompany the North Australian Exploring Expedition (1855-1856) led by  Augustus Gregory and decided to join despite initial hesitations.

He explored the  Victoria River and other portions of North Australia, was one of the four who reached Termination Lake in 1856 and accompanied Gregory’s expedition overland to Moreton Bay.

Mueller, for his part, found nearly 800  Species in Australia new to science, such as  Macadamia ternifolia(named after his friend and colleague,  John Macadam). He published in this year his Definitions of Rare or Hitherto Undescribed Australian Plants.

7.  Mueller was an active member of the Society Exploration Committee

From 1854 to 1872, Mueller was a member of the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science. Which later became the Philosophical Institute of Victoria.

He was president of the Philosophical Institute in 1859 when it received a royal charter and became the  Royal Society of Victoria. He was an active member of the society’s “Exploration Committee” which established the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860.

Mueller promoted the exploration of Australia, and as one of only two members of the Exploration Committee with any experience of exploration, he made several speeches to society on the topic.

He did not favor the selection of  Burke as a leader, but due to factionalism in the committee, he had little say in the establishment, provisioning, or composition of the exploration party.

8. He was awarded for the advancement of Science in many countries

Mueller was decorated by many foreign countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, and Portugal.

He was appointed a fellow of the  Royal Society in 1861 and knighted as Knight Commander of the  Order of St Michael and St George in 1879.

A list of his ‘Orders, offices, affiliations and sundry honors’ has been assembled. Many of his decorations were received in return for supplying zoological specimens to royal museums.

9. He led to the introduction of Blue Gum species in many countries

The spread of Eucalyptus globulus (Blue Gum). By Forest & Kim Starr

From 1857 to 1873, he was director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. He not only introduced many plants into Victoria but also made the excellent qualities of the blue gum ( Eucalyptus globulus) known all over the world. He succeeded in introducing it into the south of Europe, North and South Africa, California, and the extratropical portions of South America.

10. Mueller was the benefactor of explorer Ernest Giles

Ernest Giles, the explorer. By State Government Photographer.

He was the benefactor of explorer Ernest Giles, who visited  Lake Amadeus and  Kata Tjuta. Giles had originally wanted to name these Lake Mueller and Mt Ferdinand, but Mueller prevailed upon Giles to name them Lake Amadeus, after King  Amadeus of Spain, and Mt Olga, after  Queen Olga of Wurttemberg; both kings had granted him honors.

In 1871,  King Karl of Wurttemberg gave him the hereditary title of  Freiherr, to mark his distinction in ‘natural sciences generally and in particular for the natural history collections and institutions of Our Kingdom.  He was then known as Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller.

Mueller died in Melbourne and is buried in St. Kilda Cemetery. He was survived by his sister, Mrs. Clara Wehl, of  Millicent, South Australia. His other sister, Mrs. Bertha Doughty of near Penola predeceased him. He was never married.